Circular-knitting machine.



W. E. SMITH.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

5 SHEETSSHEET l.

W. E. SMITH.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. mmf

g WW MM W. E. SMITH.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12 1913 Patented Apr. 7, 1914 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. B. SMITH.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914 6 SHEETB-SHEET 4.

I obooooo o 0 o o o OIQID -w. E. SMITH. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913- 1,092,301. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Tn TABS Q MJE.

WILLIAM E. SMITH,

OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T KILBOURN im'rton or new JEnsEY.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. "2, 1914.

Application filed June 12. 1913. Serial No. 773,241.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that. I, \VILLIAM E. SMITH. a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and 5 State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular- Knitting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-' pertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in circular knitting machines and relates particularly to improved driving mechanism for the pattern mechanism, my said invention being particularly adapted for use with circular knitting machines of the type shown in United States Letters Patent granted to Edward E. Kilbourn, No. 609,730, dated March 12, 1901, and No. 679,281, dated July 23, 1901, and No. 1,044,537, November 19, 1912, and an application for United States Letters Patent filed by me in conjunction with the said Edward E. Kilbourn and Isaac W. Kilbourn, March 21, 1910, Serial No. 550,784. My said invention is described herein in connection with the accompanying drawings which show one form of mechanism embodying my invention and which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating the same and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a partial end elevation of, a circular knitting machine of the type shown in theabove mentioned patents and application, having my improvements embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevat-ion of the machine. Fig. 3 is a-partial side elevation taken from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal plan view taken on a line below the bed plate of the machine which carries the knitting head and showing thevarious parts of the pattern-cylinder, the pattern wheel and my improt'ed driving mechanism therefor. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4 taken from the direction indicated by the arrow or, in Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a similar elevation of the said parts taken from the direction indicated by the arrow 3 in Fig. 4. Fig, 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the worm and clutch therefor. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the cam on the pattern wheel shaft for securing the proper movement of the pattern cylinder and pattern wheel to restore the same to their initial position at the commencement of the knitting of each stocking.

In 'the accompanying drawings 1 have shown my improved pattern driving mechanism embodied in the machine which is shown and described in the aforesaid application of Kilbourn, Smith & Kilbourn, No. 550,784, the pattern mechanism of which is specially designed to automaticallv control the operation of the machine in the knitting of the leg portion of the stocking with a tight stitch and on reaching a desired point,

a number of courses above the heel, to reinforce the rear portion of the leg and increase the size of the stitch, and in at least the lower courses of this so-called high splice portion to increase the size of the stitch beyond the requirements of the reinforcing thread, to fashion the stocking above the heel, then automatically stopping the front portion of the needles and forming the heel pocket by narrowing and widening in the usual manner and with an enlarged stitch, then resuming circular knitting, knitting the foot of the stocking, reinforcing the sole and increasing the gage of the stitches beyond the requirements of reinforcing to fashion the stocking, then knitting the toe pocket by reciprocating work and with a stitch of enlarged gage; and then repeating the operations. In the machine shown in said application, the cam cylinders, of which there are two, each operating upon one half or portion of the needles, are each provided with means for increasing the length or gage of the stitch which means are independently brought into action as desired, by the pattern mechanism. It will therefore be unnecessary for me to describe herein in detail the instrumentali'fies controlled by the pattern mechanism, it being understood that they may be of any desired character or may be any of those shown or illustrated in the several patents and application above enumerated, and that the same form no part of my present invention so far as their specific nature is concerned.

In the circular knitting machine shown in the accompanying drawings 1 represents the bed plate supported by an end frame 2 at each end and having located centrally thereof the knitting head comprisin inder 3, the upper and lower knitting cams 4 and 5 and the associated instrumentalities, all of which are fully described in the application hereinbefore referred to.

6 represents the main driving shaft of the machine to which power may be applied in any desired or usual manner.

7 represents the pattern cylinder of this type of machine which is provided with a spiral groove extending around said cylinder for a desired number of convolutions, and provided with apertures to receive risers at desired intervals in said groove. In this instance, said cylinderis mounted on a shaft 8 on what I term the rear side of the machine.

9 represents the pattern wheel which in this instance is mounted upon a short shaft 10 extending transversely of the machine, the pattern wheel being located at what I term the front side of the machine. For driving the pattern cylinder and pattern wheel, I employ a countershaft 11, mounted in suitable bearings in the frame of the inachine, said shaft'being provided at its rear end with a gear wheel 12, meshing with a gear wheel 13 adjust-ably secured to the cylinder 7, by means of screws or bolts engaging concentric slots in the gear 13, which maybe in the form of an annulus. The opposite end of the shaft 8 is provided with a small pinion 14 which meshes with a gear 15 on the shaft 10 which carries the pattern wheel 9, the pattern wheel being also adjustably connected to its shaft as by concentric slots engaging screws or bolts in the arms of the pattern Wheel as indicated in Fig. 3, or otherwise. The relative sizes of the pinion 14 and gear 15 are such that a suitable projection engaging the groove in the pattern cylinder will traverse substantially the entire length of the groove during the knitting of a single stocking and the.

pattern wheel 9 will during the same time make substantially one complete revolution.

The shaft 11 is provided with a worm wheel 16 which is driven by a worm of peculiar construction on a longitudinally dis-v posed worm shaft 17 located at one end of the machine and provided with a gear wheel.

18 which is connected by an idle gear 19 with a driving wheel 20 on the driving shaft 6 of the machine. The construction of the worm is best shown in Figs. 7 and8. The worm 21 is provided with a single thread extending around the same, the main portion of the thread, say for substantially three-quarters around the periphery being in a plane perpendicular to the shaft'and the remaining portion-of the thread inclinthe cyl- I tending sleeve 22 and largest part of the rotation of the worm and then. to give the Worm wheel an advance movement of one tooth during the remaining portion of the rotation ofthe worm.

he worm is provided with a laterally ex is loosely mounted on the shaft 17, and is adapted to be connected to the shaft by means which comprises a collar 23 pinned or otherwise secured to the shaft 17 and provided with a peripheral notch 24, and a movable clutch member in the form of a collar 25 splined on the sleeve 22 and provided with a lug 26 to fit the notch 24 in the collar 23. The collar 25 is provided with an annular groove 27 whichis engaged by a friction roll 28 on a clutch lever 29 pivoted at 30 to some part of the frame as the bracket supporting shaft 17. The lever 29 is provided with an arm 31, to which is secured one end of .a spring 32, the other end being secured to the bracket, the said spring normally holding the clutch member 25 out of operative position. The clutch member 25 is thrown into operative position whenever the machine is knitting circular work and while this may be accomplished in many ways I the following means for prefer to provide this purpose.

33 is a shifting rod extending longitudinally of the machine which is shiftedeither by hand or automatically to the left (Fig.

5) at the commencement of circular knitting and is shifted to the right, (Fig. 5) at the commencement of reciprocating work. The rod 33 is provided with an arm 34 having an aperture at its outer or rear end through which extends a link-35 having a slot 36 at one end which is connected to a stud 37 at the upper end of the clutch shifting lever 29. The opposite end of the rod 35 extends throughthe arm 34 and is provided with a spring 38 interposed between the arm 34 and a cotter 39 or collar on the rod 35, a similar cotter 40 being provided in the rod 35 on the other side of the arm 34. As the shift rod 33 is moved to the left (Fig. 5) it will tend to draw the clutch lever 29 in a direction to clutch the worm to its shaft. If the clutch lug 26 is not in line with. the recess 24, the spring 38 will be compressed by the movement of the shifting rod 33 and as soon as the lug and recess "come into alinement, the spring 38 will cause them to enge. When the clutch is in gear the worm 21 will rotate once for each revolution of the cam cylinders and will feed the worm wheel one tooth, thereby rotating the pattern cylinder 7 and pattern wheel 9 a distance proportionate to a single course. In laying out of a clutch mechanism the pattern cylinder, and pattern wheel, the maximum number of courses will be provided for and obviously the pattern cylinder and wheel may be set by properly loeating the risers or projections thereon for a smaller number of courses in the leg and also in the foot. Assuming that the pattern cylinder and wheel start from an initial position. knitting of the leg until the heel is reached when the shifting lever 33 is moved to the right and permits the spring 32 to throw out the clutch and stop the operation of the worm so that the pattern cylinder and positions.

pattern wheel remain stationary during the reciprocating work and narrowing and widening for the production of the heel. The shifting lever 33 is then moved to the left, either by hand or automatically and circular knitting is resumed to knit the foot, thus throwing in the clutch and operating the worm 21 until the toe is reached when the shifting lever 33 again moves to the left and releases the clutch lever. we will assume that a smaller number of courses have been knit in the leg and in the foot than the limits of the machine provide for. In such case, it would be necessary to rotate the pattern cylinder and pattern wheel a 'suflicient distance beyond the point at which it stops on the completion of the foot portion, to restore them exactly to the inltial positions from which they started in order to begin the leg of another stocking as soon as the toe of the one under completion is finished. In order to effect this result I provide the shaft 10 on which the pattern wheel 9 is mounted with a cam 41 having a high and a low grade connected by a sharp radial shoulder, and I provide the shifting lever 29 with an actuating arm 42, the outer end of which is provided with an adjustable -part as a screw 43 to engage the periphery of the cam 41. The high grade of said cam is so constructed that after the shifting lever 29 is released by the movement of the shiftin g rod 33. the said screw 43 will engage the cam 41 and hold the clutch in operative position during the knitting of the toe by reciprocating work until the pattern cylinder and pattern wheel are restored to the r original position when the screw 43 will pass off of the high grade of the cam 41 and the spring 32 will release the clutch members and stop the worm.

I The slot 36 permits the rod 35 to return to its normal position without actuating the shifting lever 29. In knitting stockings of different sizes the length or number of courses in the leg and foot portions Wlll varv from time to time and it is necessary therefore that the cam 41 may be adjusted so as to always restore the pattern cylinderand pattern wheel exactly to their original For this purpose I find it conthe clutch remains in during the venient to provide detachable sections 44, each having a portion adapted to form a continuation of the high grade of the cam and having a lateral attaching portion 45 which can be secured to the cam by screws or' otherwise. The parts 44 can be made of different lengths as required so as to insure the requisite number of revolutions of the worm after the circular portion of the foot is knit to exactly restore the pattern mechanism to its original position.

It is to be noted that the driving mechanism described is extremely accurate in its operation, that the engagement between the worm and worm wheel not only advances the worm wheel, but holds it against over motion or backlash and also holds it against accidental displacement even. when the clutch mechanism is thrown out; The mechanism is also practically noiseless and does not readily get out of order.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a circular knitting machine the com-. bination with pattern mechanism, of a driving mechanism therefor, means for actuating said driving mechanism during circular work and for disconnecting said driving mechanism during. reciprocating work and means for preventing the disconnection of said actuating mechanism during the knitting of the toe, to restore the pattern mechanism to its original position. p

2. In a circular knitting machine the combination with pattern mechanism, of a=driv-- ing mechanism therefor, a clutch mechanism for throwing the driving mechanism into and out of operation, means for throwing said clutch mechanism in during circular work and for releasing it during reciprocating work and means for preventing the disengagement of said clutch mechanism dur-' ing the knitting of the toe,'to restore the pattern mechanism to its original position.

3. In a circular knitting machine the combination with the pattern mechanism, means for securing the operation of the said pattern mechanism during the knitting of certain predetermined portions. of a stocking and normally permitting the pattern mech- 'anism to remain idle during the knitting of other portions of the stocking, and independent means for securing the operation of the pattern mechanism during one or more of the before mentioned idle periods to insure the restoration of the pattern mecha nism to its initial position when a stocking is completed.

4. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with pattern mechanism and driving mechanism therefor including a clutch mechanism, of means for moving said clutch mechanism into operative position during circular work and releasing it during reciprocating work, a cam operatively connected with the pattern mechanism, a

part connected with said clutch mechanism for engaging said cam during the knitting of the toe to prevent the disengagement of said clutch mechanism until the pattern mechanism is restored to its original position.

5. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination with pattern mechanism of driving mechanism therefor, including a worm wheel, a clutch for connecting the worm to the shaft, a spring normally hold said cam to hold said clutch in operative position.

6. In a circular knitting machine the combination with pattern mechanism, of driving mechanism therefor, means for throwingsaid driving mechanism into action during circular work, and releasing it during're.

ciprocating work, including a clutch and a shifting lever therefor, a cam operatively connected with the pattern mechanism, means for adjusting the cam and a part connected with said clutch shifting lever, adapted to engage said cam.

7. In a circular knitting machine the combination with pattern mechanism, of driving mechanism therefor, a clutch mechanism for connecting the driving mechanism with the pattern mechanism, means for throwing said clutch mechanism into operative position while certain predetermined portions of the stocking are knit, and for throwing said clutch mechanism out of operative position while other predetermined portions of the stocking are knit, and inde endent means operatively connected with" t e pattern mechanism for maintaining said clutch in operative position during the knitting of a portion of the stocking when the clutch would otherwise be out of operative position, to insure the return of the pattern mechanism to its original position.

8. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with pattern mechanism, of

' driving-mechanism therefor, a clutch mecha-' nism for connecting the driving mechanism with the pattern mechanism, means for throwing said clutch into and out of operative position, said means including a provision for lost motion, a cam operatively connected with the pattern mechanism, and a device engaging said cam and operatively connected with said clutch shifting means for preventing the disengagement of the clutch to insure the restoration ofthe pattern mechanism to its initial position.

- ing rod operatively connected with said clutchlever for moving the clutch into operative position, a cam operatively connected with the pattern mechanism, and an arm connected with the clutch shifting lever and having a part operatively engaging said cam for holding the clutch in operative position after it has been released by the shifting 'rod to insure the restoration of the pattern mechanism to its initial position.

10. In a circular knitting -machine, the combination with the pattern mechanism including the pattern cylinder and pattern wheel and gearing connecting the same, of driving mechanism including a worm wheel operatively connected with said pattern mechanism, a worm shaft, a worm on said shaft, clutch mechanism for said worm including a pivoted shifting lever, a link connected to said lever by means permitting lost motion, shifting mechanism operatively connected with said link, a' cam on the pattern wheel shaft and an arm operatively connected to the clutch shifting lever, and having a part engaging said cam to insure the return of the pattern mechanism 'to its original position.

11, In a circular knitting machine, the combination with the pattern mechanism of driving mechanism therefor, comprising a shaft operatively connected with said pattern mechanism, a worm wheel on said shaft, a worm shaft, an arm loosely mounted on said shaft and engaging the worm wheel, clutch mechanism for connecting the worm to its shaft, means for rotating the worm shaft, a shifting lever for said clutch, a shifting rod, a link having a slotted connection with the shifting lever and operatively connected with said shifting rod, a cam operatively connected with the pattern mechanism and having an adjustable grade, and an arm connected with said shifting lever and having a part adapted to engage said cam to insure the return of the pattern mechanism to its original position. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAM F. WYLIE, JOHN ERICKSON. 

